A rumour suggested that Varun Dhawan has replaced Shah Rukh Khan in Rajkumar Hirani’s next project.

Varun Dhawan and Rajkumar Hirani.

Mumbai: Rajkumar Hirani was keen on working with Shah Rukh Khan. The duo even met and had a chat, but once the script of the filmmaker’s next came into being, he realised that the role would suit a younger actor a lot more. Therefore, SRK is out of the movie, and Varun Dhawan will step into the role now.

What makes SRK’s exit even more certain is the fact that the actor will be busy till the end of the year with Zero, and had categorically said to us, “I don’t want to sign anything till I’ve finished making and releasing Zero.” Rest assured, Hirani and SRK, keen to work with each other, will collaborate on another project.

“Since Hirani will be free in June after the release of Dutt, reports claim that he will be going solo this time, because Vidhu Vinod Chopra has asked him to create his own path now. The film, to star Varun, is being fine-tuned at the moment, and will go on floors in January next year, for a late 2019 release,” a trade source explains.

For those not in the know, SRK and Hirani did start working long ago on Munnabhai MBBS. But the actor dropped out of the film thanks to multiple issues, including health ones. He also added that he did not see himself doing the role. However, look keenly, and you’ll find SRK’s name in the credits list of Munnabhai M.B.B.S., thanking him for his inputs to the movie.

On the other hand, Hirani rebuffed the news of casting Varun in his film.

The '3 Idiots' director said, "There is such thing I keep getting to know about all this through the press."

Even Varun Dhawan's office denied the news of the actor doing any film with Hirani.